2025 Bosphorus Cup | Nov 25-30

[CaroLiza_fan]

Phew. When there was no sound during the Warm-Up, I was worried that it would continue like that into the programmes. But, thankfully, the sound came back just in time for the first skater.

Berra Nur SONSAY (TUR) was skating to "Sax" by Fleur East. And I don't think I've ever seen somebody skate to it before. Unfortunately, there was a lot of distortion on the stream, so it wasn't pleasant listening.

She was wearing a dress where the top half was pink, and the botton half was blue. It had silver decorations. And blue elbow length gloves.

Not a bad start to the day.

She goes into the lead. Obviously.

By the way, you may be interested to know that Berra Nur is a member of Synchro team Bosphorus Junior.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I didn't notice until there now - there are two skaters with the surname Arslan in this competition. And they belong to the same club in Istanbul. So, I wonder if they are sisters. Hey, they might even be twins.

We just had the first of them, skater #4 Melek ARSLAN (TUR). Meanwhile, Ipek ARSLAN (TUR) will skate at #9 in the next group.

There were a whole pile of people with Melek, and they didn't all fit in the camera shot. So I couldn't pick out if Ipek was amongst them.

EDIT: After watching Ipek, I wound the stream back. She was at the back for the photo. And seeing them in the same picture, I would say they are definitely sisters! I didn't notice at the time because it was largely hidden by the graphic, but just as the scores were being announced, Ipek went in for a hug, and Malek initially pulled away to confuse her. But then she gave Ipek a big hug!​

She goes into 2nd position.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oh, the final skater in Group 1, skater #6 Sara BOZKURT (TUR), has withdrawn.

So, straight onto Group 2.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Ooooh. Skater #7, İlkim Çağla AKTAŞ (TUR), is a very tall girl that wears glasses.

Suffice to say, I wasn't surprised to find that she ages out of Novice level this season (she turned 16 just over a month ago).

She is wearing a beautiful dress which is mainly black, but has blue pattern. An skating to a song that I presume is called "Everybody Knows".

She was good.

She is very happy in the results area.

She goes into 2nd position in the FS, and the lead overall/

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Two skaters in a row called Ipek!

The second one is the aforementioned Ipek ARSLAN (TUR). She is wearing a black dress with gold pattern, and skating to that epic cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World".

I mightn't like this version, but she skated well to it.

I take it the next skater is from the same club, because they had a massive hug when Ipek was coming off the ice.

Like Malek earlier, there was a crowd with Ipek. And although it was largely the same crowd, I didn't see Malek.

She goes into 2nd position in the FS, and the lead overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Next was the first foreigner of the competition, Elzė PAKALNIŠKYTĖ (LTU), who was "Running Down The Road" with Kate Bush.

She was wearing a pale grey jumpsuit, with darker areas down the sides with sparklies on them.

She was good.

She goes into the lead of both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

The Lithuanian is still leading going into the resurfacing.

I apologise. The Entries / Results page was slow in updating. She is now in 2nd position.

The last girl to skate in Group 2, skater #13 Azra Melis ATEŞ (TUR), is now leading both the FS and overall.

Back in 20 minutes.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We're back.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We start Group 3 with the second foreigner of the competition, skater #14 Nadja Lorena COLONESCU (ROU), who was skating to a version of "Tu Vuò Fa L'Americano" that I hadn't heard before, followed by a song I plain didn't know.

I wanted to comment this yesterday, except I was so far behind. But I really love her hairstyle. Very Irina Slutskaya. Except Nadja has black hair.

She is wearing a black jumpsuit, with silver pattern.

I really enjoyed that.

Awww, she and her coach have a big Romanian flag with them. Almost too big to hold up!

She goes into 3rd position in the FS, and 2nd position overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oh. My. Goodness.

If there is a coaches category at the most important awards of the season, I think the coach of skater #16 Ada Era SERT (TUR) wins hands down.

Who wears a Hawai'ian shirt to an ice rink?!

@elektra blue - you should see it! definitely needed! (Or maybe )

Anyway, she goes into 4th position in both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oh no. The final skater in the group, #20 İlke EKŞI (TUR), was bawling her eyes out when she arrived in the results area.

Mind you, she was able to stop long enough to pose for a photo with her coach. But then went back to crying. Her hair was doing a good job of providing something to hide behind.

The irony is that I was going to comment about how much I loved her whole look. Costume, hair, everything!

She was skating to "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish.

She goes into 8th position in the FS, and 4th position overall.



CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Sorry, my Mum had to write and send an e-mail, so I wasn't able to comment on the past few skaters.

The coach with the Hawai'ian shirt is back. This time with skater #26 Fatma Inci INANC (TUR)

She is another tall skater. She was wearing a red dress, which she didn't have to put on, but she did. Yes, you've guesed it, she was skating to "Tango De Roxanne".

Although I don't like the song, she really got into character. She was good.

Ah, that's the last skater I commented about, #20 İlke EKŞI (TUR), wearing a sweatshirt standing behind Fatma. She had a female coach sitting with her when she was getting her scores, not the guy with the Hawai'ian shirt. Well, at least she's happier now.

Fatma goes into 2nd position overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We go into the final resurfacing in the company of skater #27 Sofia BOLAT (TUR).

"MISIRLOU"!!!

I love "Misirlou" at the best of times, but this duelling piano version was epic!

And this tiny little girl in the black dress lived up to it in her skating!

She goes into 2nd position in both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Final group of girls now on the ice for their Warm-Up.

And the livescoring is working again, after being a blank page since I came back to the computer during the previous group.

Just to warn you, I will be leaving as soon as this group is over, to cross over to the British Championships for another Advanced Novice Ladies FS, which will be starting a few minutes later.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Oh, yeah. Tease us with a bit of ABBA, and then take it off and say that the Warm-Up is over!

I was enjoying the intro to "Gimme Gimme Gimme"!

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Does skater #28 Indra JEANNETTE RAMONICH (FRA) want to be an Ice Dancer? Because this music screams "French Ice Dance"

It was... very different. I haven't a clue how to describe it!

The music was very big and dramatic, and so was Indra's skating.

This could be a girl to watch out for.

She was wearing a black jumpsuit, with a blue sparkly pattern.

She goes into 2nd position in the FS, and the lead overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Skater #29 Alisa SIRER (TUR) also had strange music.

She was wearing a red dress with intricate pattern.

She goes into 3rd position in the FS, and the lead overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Skater #30 Masal BURGU (TUR), the girl who fell yesterday coming off the ice, was skating to a Édith Piaf medley. She was wearing a lilac dress.

Unfortunately, the fall she had today was during the programme. And she very nearly had another.

She looks very disappointed in the results area. I have a feeling that we might get tears by the time this is over.

The coach is just sitting there like a statue. No movement at all.

She is shaking her head as the scores are announced. But, thankfully, no tears.

She goes into 2nd position in the FS, and the lead overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

OK. Skater #31, Summer WIJKHUIZEN (NED), took us into the jungle. She was skating to "Genesis" by the African Footprint Company.

We had animal noises over the speakers, and animal actions from Summer. Just before the end, she was playing the jungle drums. It was surreal!

But, it was a lot of fun!

This is the sort of programme that I would imagine would go down well with the audience in an exhibition.

She goes into the lead of both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

We didn't need the last of the Turkish skaters, #32 Arina MEDRISH (TUR), to remind us what time of year it is - we can feel it!

She was skating to "Winter" by Vivaldi. And wearing a dress that had a very wintery pattern to it.

At one point while she was waiting for her scores, I thought she was going to cry.

I don't know why. It wasn't a bad skate!

She goes into the lead of both the FS and overall.

CaroLiza_fan